More teams, more data and Olympic gold

The NHL season starts Tuesday night with the return of an 82game schedule and a few other notable changes from last season:

THE NEW GUYS

Unleashing the Kraken brings the NHL to the Pacific Northwest with a 32nd team that’s selling merchandise at a rapid pace and should contend right away, like Vegas did. Seattle would have to reach the Stanley Cup final to match the Golden Knights.

THE ROAD TO THE CUP

The two teams that get to the final will again go the traditional way through the Eastern and Western conferences, after the 56-game 2021 season was played entirely within four divisions until the semifinals. Cross-border play is back, too, and every team is scheduled to play the other 31 at least twice — once at home and on the road.

THE OLYMPICS

Barring a turn for the worse during the pandemic, the league will take a three-week break in February for players to participate in the Olympics for the first time since 2014.

THE PURSUIT

After an injury scare in Friday’s pre-season game, Capitals star Alex Ovechkin might be good to go on opening night, resuming his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's career goals record (894). Ovechkin recently signed a five-year contract extension, and is 165 goals away from passing the Great One.

THE COVERAGE

While Sportsnet locked up Canadian broadcast rights for 12 years in 2013, a new U.S. TV deal starts this season with games on ESPN’s networks, ABC and TNT. Puck movement will be tracked with microchips for the first time, opening the door for a Zamboni load of new data and gambling opportunities.